Partners

darren · 03-31-06, 08:06 AM

Do any of you have online business partners who are located in a different country to yours? How have you made this a success?

Mike C · 03-31-06, 07:35 PM

At the moment no, but I have had a few in the past. We contacted each other via email and MSN Messenger. We spoke over MSN Messenger when we were both online, especially for improtant discussions where we didn't have time to wait for a response. We emailed each other when the other wasn't on MSN and the topic wasn't urgent.

anne · 04-03-06, 05:29 AM

I used to work with someone in Australia - we were partners for a couple of years on a site, we talked a lot on ICQ and communicated through email also. I didn't really see the distance as an issue.

**Chris Gwynne** · 04-03-06, 06:26 AM

I used to work with someone in the USA. We started well but different time zones, and different committments...

st@rsky · 04-03-06, 08:52 AM

I work with somebody in the US. Sometimes a little complex and pressured due to the time zones difference but all in all its working quite well at the moment.

Skype is a gift to us though, the amount of hours we have talked over it..

**Baby Boy** · 04-03-06, 01:02 PM

Mmmmmm, haven't yet, but I wouldn't doubt the future of having to. I mean, I may have like a partner, but not one who is too much of a boss.

anne · 04-12-06, 06:37 AM

It sounds like you want more of an employee or junior than a full partner Baby Boy - be careful there. Its when one person wants more control than the other that I've noticed things go sour.

**Baby Boy** · 04-12-06, 12:46 PM

I don't want full power, but at the same time I don't want them to expect to make all the idea's but not put out ANY investment (like happened to me 3-4 times already.)

GlobalWebDan · 04-22-06, 04:09 PM

Yes, in Nigeria, Brazil, the UK, Chile, and Bulgaria - we are in the U.S.

How have we made this work? It is very important to be in-tune with each culture that you are dealing with. Learn all you can about their people, and respect them as you would anyone else.

As far as distance, that is not an issue at all with tools such as email, as well as the fact that many of us have 24/7 hours, so there is always a key person available somewhere to discuss things with us, and likewise - us with them.

Jako · 04-25-06, 09:35 PM

I don't have experience in this field with having a partner outside of the USA. But sometimes, depending on the business there can be many benefits. Take for example if you run a hosting company, unless you have a lot of staff, you and your partner can cover most of the time zones by being located on the other side of the world.